LETTER #6

Somasca, January 11, 1537

To Lodovico Viscardi in Bergamo

1 Sir Lodovico, beloved brother in Christ. 2 Since sir priest Agostino, our father, is not here, with his permission I read the letters you have addressed to him. Since you notified him about those disorders in order to take some provisions, I tell you that at his return, in a few days, I will show him your letter and I pray to God that He may show him the remedy and the provision.

3 In the meantime I ask you to call the supervisor, the man in charge of the donkey, Giovanni the nurse, Job the steward, and Martino, bearer of this letter, and warn them that I tell them on behalf of Christ that God will punish them, as several times I told Bernardino primo that God will punish him if he does not mend his ways. I have been a bad prophet although I have prophesied the truth. Beware of God: God will punish them if they do not mend their ways. 5 Do they not know that they have offered themselves to Christ and they are in his house and eat of his bread and allow themselves to be called servants of Christ's poor? How, therefore, do they want to do the above without love, without humility of heart, without bearing with the neighbor, without looking for the salvation of the sinner and praying for him, without mortification, without shunning money and the women's face, without obedience, and without the observance of our rules? 5 Because they are far away from me, do they think that they are far away from God? Let them clearly see what the Lord, though I am far away, makes me say. They know that it is the Lord that makes me say it; if I do not speak the truth, I become a slave of the father of lies and become a member of this father of lies. They know I speak the truth. How come they do not accept it as from God? And if God shows them through this means that He sees them, why do they not fear God? Will they live as hypocrite and obstinate? If they do not amend their ways and if the fear of God does not work, even the fear of men will make no difference. 6 Therefore, for now I do not know what else to say but to beg them for Christ's wounds to be mortified in every their external action and, within, filled with humility, love, fervor; to bear one another; to observe the obedience, respect the supervisor and the old holy Christian norms; to be meek and kind with everybody, especially with those who live in the house; and above all, not to grumble about our Bishop, but always - as I have written in all my letters - to obey him; to be assiduous in praying before the Crucified by asking that He may open the eyes of their blindness and by seeking mercy, that is that they be made worthy to do penance in this world as a guaranty of eternal mercy.

7 In other letters we have asked to send to these poor a pair of scissors and ointment for the scabby; I repeat it, they have a great need of it.

8 And, take care of your health. I do not have time to write more because almost all the people of this house are seriously ill, and they are more than sixteen. Peace be with you.

9 Since the donkey is coming, we are sending you Giovan Francesco whose leg is festering.

10 Somasca, January 11, 1537